Life-raft



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

lVI. EDWARDS.

LIFE RAFT.

0,833. Patented May 27, 1890` (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.

M. EDWARDS.

v LIFE RAFT.. No. 428,833. Patented May 27, 1890.

8i n s w//vEssEs.l /N VEA/ron A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILLS EDWARDS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LlFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,833, dated May 27, 1890.

Application filed January l5, 1890. Serial No. 336,961. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLS EDWARDS, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Life-Raft, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciication, in which similarv letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of my new and improved life-raft. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on the line a: of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the outer and inner buoys, and Fig. 5 is au enlarged plan view of one of the binders.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

A is a rect-angular buoy composed of a canvas covering a and a filling a', of cork or other buoyant material. In the space between the sides and ends of the rect-angular buoy are fitted the buoys B B', composed of canvas covering b and iilling 1)',of cork or similar material. The buoys A B B are held between or have lashed or otherwise secured to them on opposite sides light binder-fram es of wood. These are preferably made as shown at C, Fig. 5, each composed of slats c c, joined by cross-strips c' c. One of these is placed on the top and bottom side of each buoy and firmly lashed thereto by cordage applied as shown at C and also at C2, the latter serving at the Same time to lash the inner buoys B B together. The ends of the slats are bound by the upper and lower end boards D D', held together by the rods d CZ (shown clearly in Fig. l) and the lashing D2. At'opposite corners of the main rectangular body is iitted a can or receptacle E for oil, which may be forced out upon the water to quell the violence of the waves. These cans are provided each with a spout e for iilling it, and with an outlet-pipe e' and with a pipe e2, through which a person on the raft may with his breath force the oil in small quantities out of the oil-receptacle.

At the center of the inner buoys B B' are iitted the tanks or receptacles Ffor water. To each of these is attached a tube F', through which persons on the raft may suck water to quench thirst, and at each side lot the inner buoys is lashed a pouch or bag' G, by or in which provisions may be carried on the raft.

At each side and end of the raft are fastened the foot-ropes II, on which a person can conveniently and safely stand and cling to the sides of the buoy, and in this mannerthe capacity of the raft is largely increased.

Atone end of the raft is attached a dragrope and drag .I J', by which the raft may be kept up in the wind and kept steady in rough weather. K K are oars lashed to the sides of the buoy, as shown clearly in Figs-2 and 3;

The edges of the buoys are inished with-a cord m to protect and strengthen the canvas.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A life-raft comprisinga continuous buoy in the form of a hollow square lashed between upper and lower binder-frames, combined with one or more intermediate buoys, also lashed between binder-frames, which are lashedto the main buoy and its binder-frames, substantially as described.

2. The buoy A, in the form ot' a hollow square, made of canvas and cork or other buoyant material, the inner buoys B B', the binder-frames C, of slats of wood, at the top and bottom of the buoys, the ends of the binder-frames of the buoysB B' lapping upon the main buoy, and the end boards D D', bolted together upon the ends of all the binderframes, substantially as described.

3. In a life-raft, a buoy made of canvasand cork held between upper and llower binderframes lashed to the buoy, in combination with one or more tanks or receptacles E, held within the body of the buoy and provided with an inlet and outlet pipe, by which the oil may be expelled by blowing into the receptacle, substantially as described.

MILLS EDIVARDS.

Witnesses: JOHN E. JONES, I-I. A. WEST. 

